IPL cricketers deny drug use at the Mumbai party

Mumbai: In yet another blow to IPL's image, cricketers Rahul Sharma and Wayne Parnell were found attending a party busted by the Mumbai police. Police claimed illegal drugs were recovered from the party venue at a Juhu hotel. The players though deny any involvement. Both Parnell of South Africa and Rahul, who play for Pune Warriors, claimed innocence with the Indian leg spinner saying he will quit cricket if his blood test returns positive for drugs.

Vishwas Nagre Patil, ACP western suburbs, said, "Urine and blood samples of all guests are taken. If found positive, people will be arrested."

Rahul Sharma said, "I said that I was willing to submit to any tests. The doctors also said that I had not had alcohol. The drug test results will come in a few days, if they're positive I will stop playing cricket."

Juhu is a posh area, most of the restaurants, hotels are frequented here by Bollywood personalities, by celebrities, by aspiring models. The police said that most of the women who've been detained are actually foreign nationals.

Celebs present there have claimed that they had no idea drugs were being consumed. And have even alleged police negligence.

Shilpa Agnihotri, TV actress, said, "They took us to the hospital for blood tests and for the longest time they did not label our blood samples. I was worried my sample might get mixed with someone else's sample."

Most of those picked up have been let off on bonds. The organiser of the party Vishay Handa has been sent to police custody by a metropolitan court.